Sacraments

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing,
it is the gift of God" (Eph 2:8).

As the Baltimore Catechism tells us, a sacrament is "an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace." There are seven: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation (or "Penance"), Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. Each one, in its own way, is critical to our spiritual lives as Catholics.

To learn more about the meaning and purpose of the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church, see the section on the Sacraments in the Links page. For information about preparing to receive these sacraments at Blessed Mother, call Nicholas Hardesty (683-8444, ext. 26), unless otherwise indicated.

Baptism

• In order for parents to have their child baptized, they must be registered in the parish and attend Mass regularly. They must also attend one baptism class.
• Call Nicholas Hardesty to set up an appointment for the class. After you take the class, call Fr. John (683-8444, ext. 22) to make arrangements for the Baptism.
• An individual cannot receive the other sacraments of the Church until he or she is baptized.

Adult Catechumenate

• The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is open for all who would like to inquire into our Catholic faith and possibly become full members of the Catholic Church.
• For more information about the RCIA process at Blessed Mother, see the RCIA page.
• Meetings are held every Thursday of the month from the beginning of September to the end of May. We meet from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM in the Parish Hall in the Family Life Center.

Reconciliation

• The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available every Saturday from 12:30 - 2:00 PM, or any time by appointment.
• If you are conscious of having committed any mortal sin, then you must receive this sacrament before you can receive the Eucharist at Mass.
• First Reconciliation for the second graders was celebrated on Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010, from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM here at Blessed Mother.

Holy Eucharist

• See the sidebar for Mass times.
• To watch Fr. John celebrate the Mass online, see Gideon Productions.
• The Holy Eucharist can only be received by full members of the Catholic Church. If you are not Catholic, we request that you please refrain from receiving the Eucharist at Mass.
• First Communion for the second graders will be celebrated on Sunday, May 2, 2010 during a special Mass at 2:00 PM. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall.

Confirmation

• Candidates for Confirmation and their Sponsors must attend as many Mini-Retreats as possible. See the Religious Education Handbook for the Mini-Retreat schedule.
• Confirmation for the eighth graders will be celebrated on Tuesday, May 4, 2010, from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM here at Blessed Mother. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall.
• For more information, contact Christina Best (683-8444, ext. 28).

Holy Matrimony

• Arrangements must be made with Fr. John six months in advance of the ceremony.

Holy Orders

• If you are interested in becoming a priest or simply curious about the priesthood, we encourage you to visit GoPriesthood.com, the website of the Vocations Office of the Diocese of Owensboro.

Visitation of the Sick

• In order to meet the spiritual needs of our sick we ask that you please keep us informed of those who are ill at home, in the hospital, or in a nursing facility. Fr. John visits the hospital on a weekly basis, and brings Communion to our homebound parishioners on every First Friday of the month. Weekly Communion calls made by lay ministers can also be arranged.
• For more information, contact Fr. John or Jan Storm (683-8444, ext. 21).